SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - According to reports by the Los Angeles Times and other media outlets this week, more than 150 women have undergone sterilization in California prisons without the required approval of the state medical committee between 2005 and 2010. The sterilizations were not medically necessary and the victims report that they were coerced into the procedure.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-prison-sterilization-20130714,0,4896932.story

In response, the California-based CourageCampaign.org has launched a campaign demanding Governor Jerry Brown (D-CA) open an investigation into the mass sterilizations of imprisoned women, and propose specific recommendations to prevent further forced sterilizations by September 15th.

“We demand answers -- the idea of forced sterilizations bring up the worst of eugenics and of 1939 Germany, not 2013 California,” explained Sarah Callahan, of CourageCampaign.org who started the petition on MoveOn.org’s online petition platform. “Involuntarily removing a woman’s ovaries or pressuring her into a sterilization while incarcerated is absolutely unacceptable.”

For more information, or for interviews with CourageCampaign.org, please contact Brett Abrams at 516-841-1105 or by email at brett@fitzgibbonmedia.com.

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CourageCampaign.org is an online organizing network that empowers more than 750,000 grassroots and netroots activists to push for progressive change and full equality in California and across the country. As a leading multi-issue advocacy organization, Courage Campaign's work is supported by thousands of small donations from our diverse community.